Strip burster



Nov. 18, 1952 J. T. DAVIDSON 2,618,336

{, STRIP BURSTER Filed 1m. 22, 1949 s Sheets-Shed: 1

. INVENTOR JOHN 7. DAVIDSON Nov. 18, 1952 J. T. DAVIDSON STRIP BUR'STER Filed Nov. 22, 1949 INVENTOR JOfI/V Z'DAV/DSO/V g ATTORNEY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 NOV. 18, 1952 V I I T, DAVIDSON v 1 2,618,336

STRIP. BURSTER Filed Nov. 22, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ./0//// 7. DAVIDSON m ONEY Patented Nov. 18, 1952 STRIP BURSTER John '1. Davidson, Dayton,0hio, assignor to The Standard Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application November 22, 1949, Serial No. 128,774

17 Claims.

This invention pertains to strip or web feeding and severing apparatus, by which superposed continuous strips of material are simultaneously and automatically divided at predetermined longitudinally spaced intervals into a succession of individual sheets, and more particularly to intermittent strip tensioning mechanism, whereby successively advanced terminal portions of the superposed strips are tensioned beyond the tensile strength of transverse weakened division lines within such advanced portions, and thereby such terminal portions are successively detached from the supply portion of the strips or webs.

It is quite common commercial practice to inscribe continuous series connected printed forms, such as checks, utility bills, invoices, statements and other record sheets while intact, by passing such strips in multiple or with interleaved transfer material, through a writing or imprinting machine. Subsequently, the strips are divided between successive inscribed forms into individual sheets. To facilitate separation, the record strips are provided with transverse longitudinally spaced transverse weakened division lines, upon which the strips are bursted by beingsubjected to excessive longitudinal pulling strain, as the line containing area reaches severing position.

Simultaneously with the advancement of the strips relative to the severing or bursting position, the margins thereof are automatically trimmed to remove marginal configurations or feed band areas engaged by strip feeding devices, which serve to control and time the advancement of the strip assembly in synchronism with the strip severing operations. The rate of advancement of the strips relative to the rate of operation of the tensioning devices may be varied .to enable the strips to be uniformly. divided into sheets of different length in accordance with closely or more distantly spaced transverse weakened division lines thereof.

3 The present disclosure is a further development and improvement upon the construction shown in U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,380,949, issued to me August 7, 1945.

The object of the invention is to improve the construction as well as the means and mode of operation of strip feeding and severing machines, whereby they may not only be economically manufactured and operated, but will be more efficient in use, automatic in operation, uniform in action, of simplified form, having relatively fewparts, and be unlikely to get out of repair.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of compact form and possessing minimum power requirement for its operation.

A further object of the invention is to enable the advancement of the strip assembly to be properly synchronized with the strip bursting devices and to enable superposed continuous strips to moment of bursting operation.

2 of material to be accurately and simultaneously divided into uniform sheets of greater or less length.

A further object of the invention is to provide strip tensioning mechanism by which the advanced terminal portion of the strip assembly is momentarily subjected to accelerated advancement while the trailing portion of the strip as sembly is simultaneously snubbed or retarded in opposition to the accelerated feeding influence, thus subjecting a transverse weakened line of the superposed strips intermediate the points of accelerating and retarding influence to excessive tension and bursting strain.

A further object of the invention is to provide a supplemental tensioning member engageable with the assembly of superposed strips in timed relation with the advancement thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for initially bursting the assembly of superposed strips adjacent the margins there- A further object of the invention is to provide a reciprocatory member having transverse pro= gressive angular engagement with the assembly ofsuperposed strips to initiate the bursting operation coincident with the transverse weakened division lines.

A further object of the invention is to provide a strip feeding and bursting machine having the advantageous structural features and inherent meritorious characteristics and mode of operation herein set forth.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention intended to be pro tected'by Letters Patent consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operationjor their equivalents, as hereinafter described or illustrated in. the: accompanying drawings. f

In the drawings, wherein is shown the pre-, ferred but obviously not necessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a front view of the assembled machine viewed from the right of Fig. 2 and portions part- 1y broken away.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the machine showing a portion of the driving train viewed from the left of Fig.1., and portions partly broken away. I

Fig. 3' is an end elevation, partly broken away, opposite that of Fig. 2, as viewed from the right of Fig. l.

4.- is a vertical sectional view of the feeding and bursting mechanism during the intermediate period between bursting operations while the strips are beingfreely advanced. Y

Fig. 5 is a view similar to that of Fig. 4 at the Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

The present bursting machine is of relatively.

small size and compact form adapted to be supported in elevated position on a, table or stand. The frame of the apparatus comprises relatively spaced upright end plates l and 2 supported upon a base 3 and interconnected by tie rodsA.

The driving gear trains beyond the end plates l and 2 are enclosed and protected by casing or housing portions 5, which continue at 5 at the frontancl rear of the frame-and-encl osethe drivingmotorfi.

The operating mechanism by which the strips or webs are advanced and tensionedto the bursting point is exposed between the end plates, This mechanism includes a pair of frictional feeding and snubbing rollers l and-=8 and a pair :of frictional tensioning or snatch rollers 9 and l-iL At least one of the latter is driven-at agreater peripheral speed than the snubbing rollers 7 and B. The rollers i and 9 are rubber covered, or of analogous material, having a tenacious strip engaging surface, and preferably comprise a plurality of axially adjustable relatively spaced rubber collars or rings mounted on corresponding shafts I"! and I2. The. corresponding frictional rollers:18 and i!) are preferably metallic rollers having knurled surfaces, but may also be of rubber 'or the like.v The; engaging collars of the roller 8 are mounted for axial adjustment to and fro uponza common shaft 13,;while the rollers lfi preferably, but not necessarily, cernprise integral knurled. raised areas onthe shaft Strip feeding pin wheels $5, ensageable i longitudinally spaced Zhcles orpther configurations in the assembly of superposed strips or webs, are mounted concentrically with the snubb-ing rollers -8' upon the common shaft 113.) The pin wheels l5 maintain constant feeding engagementwith the strips, whereas the rollers i-tl and '9i %l engage therewith only'intermittently. As a result, the rollers T-8 operate conjointly with "the pin wheels to impart movement and control the advancement of the strips :during. a part of the cycle of operation; during the remainder of which the strip is advanced by the pin wheels alone independently of the frictionrdllers-Tand-il. J Y'Io" enable-the vibratory movement of the snubbing and snatch rollers'Band 1]! toward and from the correspondin rollers"? and 9, the shafts l [and 42 for the latter arejournaled in the side frames 5 and 2 for rotation on fixed axes; while the rollers shafts F3 and 14 of the matching'rollers' 8 and 56 are mounted for bodily movement relative to the shafts H and i2 and the rollers carried thereby.

Pivotally mounted on a transverse shaft it supported in the side plates and 2 is a pair of oscillatory arms 17 in which the roller shafts J3 and M arejournaled. Therock arms H are actuated in timed sequence with the advance ment of the strips, to momentarily grip the strip assembly between the respective pairs of rollers 1-8 and 9 -41), by rotary cams is carried upon a revoluble camshaft l9 journaled in the end plates of the frame, and having operative engagement upon each rotation with rollers 20 mounted upon the respective oscillatory mounting arms I1.

The web contacting rollers and pin wheels are actuated by the driving motor 6 which is connected by a belt 2! with a combined pulley and hand wheel 22 mounted upon an extension of the shaft l2 of the faster rotating tensioning or snatch roller 9 outside the frame end I.

The shaft extension carries a gear pinion 23 behind the pulley 22 which meshes with the larger gear 24 of a pair of interconnected concentric idler gears .24, 25, the smaller member 25 of which meshes with a gear pinion 26 upon the extremity of the snubbing roller shaft II. The ratio of. the several gears is such that the snubbing roller 2 is driven-ate peripheral-speed materially less than that of the tensnprri-ng; or snatch-roller is. The roller {-11 andshaft M are preferably loose and rot-ate idly under friction driving influence of the roller s and the strip therebetween.

The snubbing :rollershaft H carries :at its op posite end beyond the end. frame plate 2 a pair of gearpinions 27 and :28. The pinion LT-of lesser pitch intermeshes with a large idler 23 mounted on an adjustable arm :38 which is pivoted upon the extension of the shaft ll concentric with the gear pinions :21 and 2 8;. Teherswinging arm r38 carrying the gear 29 is adjustableto and fro within the limits of a concentric areuate slot .34 in the end plate, and is secured in adjusted position by a clamp bolt -32 in the swinging arm engaging such slot. Extension lever 32 carried by bolt 3.2 facilitates adjustment thereof;

By adjustment of the swinging arm 3!) the large idler gear :may be made to-inter-mesh with anyone of a plurality of interchangeable gear pinions 33 of different size mounted on the extremity-.ofithe cam shaft 19. By interchanging other gears 3'3 of larger or smaller-size, the camshaft is made to rotate faster or slower, and the timing of the mounting arm oscillations is correspondingly changed to permit greater or-less lengths .of the strip assembly to be advanced during the periods between succeeding engagements of the rollers therewith to effect the stripsevering operations. This accommodates strips or webs having differently spaced transverse weakened lines, and enables uniform severance thereof into sheets of greater or less length, ac cording to the relative spacing of the division lines; I

The gear pinion 23 upon the extremity of the; snubbing roller shaft H :meshes with :a .eorre' spending gear pinion 34 upon "the extremity of 1 intermeshing relation throughout the range of such relative movement. The rotation of the shaft 1 l and gear 28 thereon thus transmits continuous rotary motion to theshaf-t 1| 3 and the pin wheels 15 mounted thereon notwithstanding the vibratory motion of the shaft 43 and gear 341. Upon approach of the shafts H and i3 and: the rollers 7-.8 carried thereby, the pin. wheels are shifted in unison therewith while maintaining their feeding en agementwith the strip assembly. A the rollers "!--8 impinge upon' t'he interposed iwebs o'r strips, they impart thereto by frictional engagement a forward feeding action in unison with the feeding influence of the pin wheels I 5.

However, upon retraction of the arms [l and therewith the shaft |3 and roller 8, the pin wheels continue to advance the webs or strips. During the interval between engagements of the strip assembly between opposing rollers, the terminal portion of the assembly will have been advanced by the pin wheels a sufficient distance to thrust the free end of the strips between the then separated tensioning rollers 9 and I9, and to position a transverse weakened division line upon which the strips or webs are to'be severed intermediate the pairs of rollers 1-8 and 9-19.

Upon elevation of the oscillatory arms I! by the cams I8, the strips will be simultaneously grasped between the respective pairs of rollers l-B-and 9-H] which'rotate at different rates of .7 to strike the tensioned strips intermediate the peripheral speed. The snatch rollers 9-H", being more rapidly rotated than the snubbing rollers 1-8 will impose a strong longitudinal pulling strain upon the strip which is resisted by the more slowly rotating snubbing rollers 'l-8, whereby the strip assembly is subjected to tensioning influence in excess of the tensile strength of the strip coincident with the transverse weakened division line then positioned between the pairs of rollers. will be advanced by the snubbing rollers in unison with their advancement by the pin wheels it, so that the timing of the strip assembly is main tained and the pin wheels are protected and relievd of the strain of the tensioning the snatch rollers 8-H]. The strips fail coincident with the transverse weakened line under the excessive tension imposed thereon and the separated terminal portions are discharged by continued rotation of the rollers 8-H! and the mo- 'mentum of the severed sheets into the sheet receiver 35.

' Included in the burster is a supplemental tensioning unit which impinges upon the strip assembly in timed relation with the advancement of the assembly and coincident with the trans- At the same time, the strips cooperating rolls 1-8 and 9-H! coincident with a transverse weakened division line in the strips as such lines pass from one set of cooperating rollers toward the other. Such motion of the arms 40 and bursting blades 42 occurs just prior to release of the arms I! by cam |8 to relieve the tension on the assembly of superposed strips passing through the burster.

In reality, the accelerated speed of rollers 9| 0 relative to rollers 1-8 starts pulling the terminal portion of the strip assembly prior to engagement of the bursting blades 42 therewith. Engagement of bursting'blades 42 with the tensioned terminal portion of the strip assembly causes a partial inward severance of the strips upon the weakened transverse division lines, permitting the pulling action of rollers 9-l 0 to continue the separation of the individual strips comprising the assembly until the terminal portions of the strips are completely severed and ejected into the receiving tray by the rollers 9-l0.

By this time the high point of cam l8 has passed roller 20, thereby permitting arms I! to return to normal position, releasing the gripping pressure of rollers 9| 0 and 7-8 upon the interposed assembly of strips. To prevent the projectillg burster blades 42 from interfering with the continued advancement of the strip assembly under influence of the pin wheels l5, means are provided for immediately returning the blades 42 to their normal retracted position. To this end there is provided upon the arms overturned and back-lash of arm 45 upon release of arms verse'weakened division lines thereof. Such supf plemental unit includes-a pair of oscillatory arms 36 pivotally mounted on a transverse shaft 31 journaled in the rock arms H. are actuated in timed sequence with the advancement of the strips by cams 38 carried on .the cam shaft I9 and having peripheral engagement with rollers 39 mounted on the-free ends of arms 35.

also pivotally mounted upon shaft 31 for oscillatory motion thereabout are a second pair of arms 49. Inter-connecting the free ends of the arms 40 is a bar 4| upon which are adjustably mounted a pair of angularly disposed dull edged bursting blades 42. Arms 36 are maintained in engagement with the periphery of earns 38 by yielding retractile springs 43, one end of which is anchored upon stud 44 on arm 36, while the opposite end is anchored upon an extension 45 carried by arm Arms 43 are retracted (moved clockwise) in unison with arms 35 under tension The arms 35 I! by cam I8. Upon such return movement, pad contacts under pressure a stud 59' carried by arms 36, thereby moving arms 36 in a clockwise direction, and through tension spring 46 the arms 40 are likewise moved in a clockwise direction to retract the burster blades 42 out of the path of the advancing assembly of superposed record strips. Such withdrawal, however, only removes the blades 42 sufficiently to clear the path of advancement of the record strips. During continued rotation of cam 38 prior to the next bursting operation, the arms 35-40 and blades 42 are moved further away from the path of the strip assembly so that upon passage of the'high point I of cam 38 the supplemental bursting mechanism with bar 4|.

of -springs 46 interconnecting the arms 35 and by means of studs 4? and 43. The tension in spring 46 is such that stud 43 is normallymaintamed in contact engagement with arm 36.

Cam 38 is fixed relative to cam |8 so that the cam 38 by-passes roller 39 in timed sequence to tenjsioning of the strips by oscillation of arms |'l under influence of cam l8. As the high point of cam 38 passes rollert39 arm36 is moved in a will be fully cooked for its maximum stroke under influence of spring 43. I 1

Referring to Fig. 6, the bursting blades 42 comprise a pawl 5| in underlying aligned relation As shown, the underside of bar 4| is formed with a series of recesses or notches 52 within any one of which pawl 5| may be selectively engaged. By loosening hand screws 53 carried by each bursting blade 42 the blade may be tilted relative to bar 4| so that pawl 5| is freed from its cooperating notch 52. The blade 42 may then be moved to a new position upon bar 4| and locked in such newly adjusted position by tightening screw 53.

Guide fingers 54 adjustably mounted on a transverse rod 4' maintains the advancing strips in feeding engagement with the pin wheels I5, both guide fingers 54 and pin wheels 5 being tension.

adjustable upon the shafts l3 and 4' tc-acccmmodatestripsoi different'widths.

As the strips are advanced, the marginal feed bands are trimmed oil by severing discs 55 which .coact with the peripheries of pin wheels 1.5 in offset relation with the line of feeding pins. The trimmer discs may be sharp and operate to shear .the strips-or may be dull, in which event they serve to break the strip on longitudinal prewea'kened division lines. The trimmer discs 55 are carried by arms 56 'pivotally mounted on the shaft 11.6 mounted in the end plates] and '2 for rocking motion.

Referring to Fig. l, the hub of arm 56 carries a rubber collar'15l secured to the segmental gear 58o,meshing with the gear 60 on support plate 59 secured to shaft 16.. The arm 56 is therefore flexibly mounted upon shaft l6, providing oonstantengagement of disc 55 with pin wheels 15, notwithstanding the vibratory motion of the lat- .i The gear 50 may be adjusted :tovary "the torsion of the rubber collar 51,.and the torsion of collar 51' is maintained by a gear stop 61 en- :gaged in the teeth of the segmental gear .58

:asshown in Fig. 7.

The shaft Hi carries at one end thereof adjacent end plate 1 a crank arm -.62 (Fig. 5) embodying .a spring actuated locking plunger .63. Theshaft It :may be rocked by arm .62 to lift the arms 56 and-remove the trimmer discs 55. from strip severin relation with the pin wheels, and held inoperative to facilitate introduction :of new strips to be trimmed and severed. by engagement offlatch plunger 53 within notch .64 on hub of rock shaft 16,

To venable relative adjustment of the opposing snnbbing' rand :tensioning rollers,,.as may be nec- ,essary to achieve proper cooperation therebetweenthe axis of oscillation of the arms 1.! may be. shifted laterally or vertically within limited range, To this end (see Fig. 2) the shaft l;6 is journaled in eccentric bushings or bearingsleeves 65, relative adjustment of which is accomplished through a worm drive gear couple under control of stud 66. By rotative adjustment of the eccentric bushings 6-5, the positions of the arms -11 may be slightly varied to bring the opposing rollers of; the respective pairs into'prcper degree of gripping relation with. the strips andin adjusted relation with each other. ,Similarly thorollers 20- are mounted upon eccentric vrotativelyadjust- ;able plates 6'! lFig. i) which can be locked in selectedposition of rotative adjustment by engagement of a lockin screw 6.8 in one or an.- otheror the marginal notches'to var the response. of the arms I! to the action of thetrotary cam 18. 1 r

A table 69 intermediate the respectivetpairs of rollers temporarily supports and guides the terminal edge of the supply strips between the tensioning rollers after each severing operation. The table $9 is embodied in the stripper :finger 10 mounted on tie rods H and mounted for axial adjustment relative to the adjusted pin wheels I 5 by engagement in the neck of the pin wheel. The rear wall of the receiving compartment extends at 12 into adjacent relation with the tensioning rollers to receive the severed portions of. the strips and guide them into the receiving compartment '35. The driving motor (Figsl and *2) is mounted upon an oscillatory shelf 13 pivoted on tie rod 4 whereby the deflection of the mounting shelf under-weight of the motorserves as a belt tightener to keep the drive belt 2| under proper drive From the above description it will be apparent that there thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable.,'but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from thefprinciple involved or sacrificing any of its advantages. V o

While in order to comply with thestatute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise but one of several modes of putting the invention into effect.

' Having thus described my invention, :1 claim: 1. A strip severing apparatus for progressively dividing an assembly of superposed continuous strips of series connected sheets intoa succession of individual sheets upon longitudinally spaced transverse weakened divisionlines by subjecting succeeding terminal portions of the as sembly to tension in excess of the tensile strength of the assembly coincident with ;such weakened lines, including two pairs of relatively spaced rollers having intermittent gripping engagement with the assembly at opposite vsides of ,a transverse weakened line thereof, one roller-of each pair being movable simultaneously into cooperative relation with the oposing roller of the re spective pairs at timed intervals, strip feeding means for advancing the assembly of strips predetermined distances intermediate succeeding strip gripping operations of the rollers, actuating means for intermittently moving one roller of each pair into cooperative relation with the opposing roller of the pair in timed relation with the advancement of the assembly of strips whereby a weakened transverse division line will be positioned intermediate the spaced pairs of rollers, an oscillatory tensioning member engageable with said assembly of strips intermediate the spaced pairs of rollers coincident with :a weak- .ened transverse division line, actuating means therefor separate from the aforesaid actuating means operative in timedrelation with actuation of the gripping rollers but independently thereof, and means for returning the tensioning member to its normal position upon disengagement of the gripping rollers, the construction :and arrangement being such that the tensioning member momentarily deflects the assembly of superposed strips out of their normal path of travel while said assembly is gripped onopposite sides of the .tensionin member by said rollers to thereby tension the assembly in excess .of the tensile strength of a transverse weakened division line.

2. A strip severing apparatus .for progressively dividing an assembly of superposed continuous strips of series connected sheets into a succession of individual sheets upon longitudinally spaced transverse weakened division lines by subjecting succeeding terminal portions of the assembly to tension in excess of the tensile strength of the assembly coincident with such weakened lines, including a pair of spaced intermittently cactuated grippers engageable with the assembly of superposed strips, strip feeding mechanism .ior advancing the assembly of strips past the grip pers, a tensioning'member pivotally supported for oscillatory movement toward and from the assembly of superposed strips, and actuating means for the strip feeding mechanism including means for operating the grippers and tensioningmember in timed sequence, both in timed relation with the strip feeding mechanism so that a transverse weakened division line is positioned intermediate the grippers in alignment with the oscillatory tensioning member for engagement thereby while the assembly is engaged by the spaced grippers.

3. A strip severing apparatus for progressively dividing an assembly of superposed continuous strips of series connected sheets into a succession of individual sheets upon longitudinally spaced.

gageable with the assembly simultaneously with the engagement of the gripper members, a strip feeding mechanism for progressively advancing the assembly of strips, a supplemental tensioning member mounted for oscillatory movement into and out of engagement with the tensioned as- L semblyof strips intermediate the grippers and tensioning rollers, and common actuating means for the strip feeding mechanism, grippers, tensioning rollers and supplemental tensioning member including means for actuating the supplemental tensioning member and tensioning rollers in timed relation with the advancement of the strip so that transverse weakened division line is located intermediate the grippers and tensioning rolls for engagement by the supplemental tensioning member upon actuation of the respective elements.

,4. In a strip severing apparatus for progressiv 1y dividing an assembly of superposed continuous strips of series connected sheets into a succession of individual sheets upon longitudinally spaced transverse weakened division lines by subjecting succeeding terminal portions of the assembly to tension in excess of the tensile strength of the assembly coincident with such weakened lines,

spaced intermittently operated primary tensioning means engageable with the assembly of superposed strips, and supplemental tensioning means engageable with the strip assembly intermediate the spaced tensioning means coincident with a weakened transverse division line in the assembly, said supplemental tensioning means including a pair of dull burster blades engageable with the margins of the strip assembly, said blades being disposed at an angle with respect to the plane of the strip assembly, and resilient actuating means therefor urging the blades into bursting engagement with the margins of the assembly in timed relation with the operation of the primary tensioning means.

5. In a strip severing apparatus for progressively dividing an assembly of. superposed continuous strips of series connected sheets into a succession of individual sheets uponlongitudinally spaced transverse weakened division lines by subjecting succeeding terminal portions of the assembly to tension in excess of the tensile strength ofthe assembly coincident with such weakened lines, vibratory gripping means intermittently engageable with the strip assembly at relatively spaced points, a vibratory striker element engageable with the strip assembly intermediate the vibratory gripping means, said striker element being disposed at an angle relative to the plane of the strip assembly andsimultaneously engageable with the opposite lateral sides of the strip, separate operating means for the grippers and striker element effecting motion thereof in timed but independent relation to one another, and a common aotuatortforsaid separate operating means, the construction and arrangement being such that the striker element engages the. strip assembly coincident with a transverse weakened division line thereof simultaneously with the gripping thereof by the gripper elements to produce in the strip assembly a tensile stress in excess of the tensile strength of the weakened division lines.

6. In a strip severing apparatus for progressively dividing an assembly of superposed continuous strips of series connected sheets into a succession of individual sheets upon longitudinally spaced transverse weakened division lines by subjecting succeeding terminal portions of the assembly to tension in excess of.the tensile strength of the assembly coincident with such weakened lines, spaced intermittently operated primary tensioning means for the strip assembly engageable therewith at spaced points, a vibratory carrier therefor, a supplemental tensioning member intermittently engageable withthe strip intermediate the primary tensioning means coincident with a transverse weakened division line, an oscillatory carrier for the supplementaltensioning member, a vibratory control member. for the oscillatory carrier, a yielding resilient coupling interconnecting the vibratory carrier and the vibratory control member, a yielding, resilient coupling interconnecting the vibratory control member and the oscillatory carrier for unison motion in one direction, a positive drive coupling interconnecting the vibratory control member and the oscillatory carrier for unison motion in the opposite direction, common actuat ing means for the vibratory carrier and the vibratory control member operating said carrier and member in timed relation, actuation of said carrier and control member tensioning the resilient coupling therebetween and release of said carrier and control member tensioning the resilient.

coupling intermediate the control member and oscillatory carrier.

7. In a strip severing apparatus for progressively dividing .an assembly of superposed continuous strips of series connected sheets into a.

succession of individual sheets of the type where in intermittently operated tensioning means are simultaneously engageable with the strip assembly at longitudinally spaced points of the assembly, a supplemental tensioning means including a vibratory striking member having an end portion inclined to the plane of the strip assembly,

an oscillatory actuator therefor, a resilient connection between said actuator and member effective in one direction of oscillation of the actuator, a positive drive connection between the actuator and member effective in the opposite direction of oscillation of the actuator, energizing means for the actuator, a resilient connection between said actuator and energizing means effective in one direction, a positive drive connection between the actuator and energizing means effective in the'opposite direction, and

means for supplying power to the energizing means in timed relation with the intermittently operated tensioning means.

8. In a. strip severing and bursting apparatus of the type wherein an assembly of superposed 1 1-. for separation into a succession of individual sheets and wherein intermittently operated tensioning means are simultaneously engageable with the strip assembly at longitudinally spaced points thereof, a supplemental tensioning means intermittently engageable with the strip. intermediate the longitudinally spaced tensioning means and at transversely spaced points adjacent the longitudinal margins of the strip. assembly, including an. oscillatory bar, a pair of burst ing blades adjustably mounted thereon, one. sur-: face of the blades being inclined relative to the bar, the construction and arrangement being such that the inclined surface. of the blades contacts the strip assembly adjacent the margins thereof and progressively creates inwardly from the margins at bursting strain in excess of the tensile strength. of the strip assembly. and meansior oscillating the blade supporting bar in timed relation with the operation of the longitudinally spaced tensioning means so that the blades will contact and burst the strip assembly while said assembly is gripped by the spaced tensioningmeans.

95. A strip ieeding and severing apparatus for progressively transversely dividing an assembly of superposed continuous strips of material into asuccession of individualsheets, including a strip striking device operable to start the tearing of a tensioned strip and a pair of strip tensioni-ng devices intermittently engageable with the assembly of strip material, means for effecting automatic operation of said striking and tensioni'ng devices in timed relationto one another, and

a strip assembly feeding device mounted for alternating-movement in timed relation with the intermittent'engagement of the striking and. tensioning devices with the strip, while said feeding device maintains its feeding engagement therewith.

' 10. A; strip severing apparatus wherein an. assemblyo-f superposedcontinuous strips of material are progressively transversely severed at longitudinally spaced intervals into a succession of individual sheets,including a strip striking de-.

vice operable to start the tearing of a tensioned strip, dual strip assembly feeding devices'simultaneously operative thereon to tension the strip assemblyintermediate the feeding devices, apair of vibratory frames, one for the, striking device. and one for the dual feeding deviceaand. means for actuating the frames in timed relation. with the advancement of" the strip assembly, the construction-and arrangement being such. that the. striking device is engageable with the. strip assembly while said strip is. tensioned by the simultaneous engagement of the dual feeding devicesto tension said strip assembly in excess of. the tensilerstrength thereof.

11. A strip severing apparatus wherein, an assembly of superposed-continuous strips; of material are progressively transversely severed... atlonggitudinally spaced intervals into a succession f, individual sheets, including a. pair of stripfeeding. devices; intermittently-engageablc in uni.- son with the strip assembly at longitudinally spaced points, a. strip bursting member engage-.

able with the strip assembly; intermediate: the feeding devices and creating in the strip assembly a tension in excess of the'tensile strength thereof to. progressively burstthe strip assembly transversely thereof from the margins toward" the center, and independent means'xfor actuating the: bursting member in, timed relation with-the means for; synchronizing the operation of the prc-tensioning means and the bursting member. with the operation of the feeding device.

13. A. strip severing apparatus wherein the terminal portion of an assembly of superposed continuous strips is progressively tensioned in excess of the tensile strength of a transverse weakened division line therein, including spaced strip assembly feeding devices, one of which operates at a greater peripheral speed than the other to create a localized area of tension within the: strip assembly, a vibratorymount common there-' to, an assembly bursting and severing device located intermediate the feeding devices operative to increase the tension within the localized area in excess of thetensile strength of the trans-- verse weakened division line then positioned within the localized area under influence of the feeding devices, a vibratory mount for said bursting and severing device, and actuating means for vibrating the two vibratory mounts in timed. sequence so that said bursting and severing device will engage the strip assembly coincidentwith a transverse weakened division line. while said assembly is under the tensioning influence of the spaced feeding devices. 14. A strip severing apparatus wherein the terminal portion of an assembly of superposed" continuous strips is progressively tensioned in excess of the tensile strength of a transverse weakened division line therein, including feeding means for progressively-advancing the strip as? sembly; through the apparatus, means for pretensioning the strip assembly in a localized area, a strip bursting and severing member intermite; tently 'engageable' with the strip assembly as-it i advanced through the apparatus, including a bar extending beneath the strip assembly transversely thereof, enlarged terminals on said bar having a surface angularly disposed relative to. the plane of the strip assembly, said terminals being disposed in proximate-alignment with the; margins of the overlying strip assembly, intermittently operated actuating means for the severing member under the influence of which the angularly enlarged terminals are progressivelyengaged with thestrip assembly from the. margins; inwardly thereof to progressively increase the tension to an excessive point within the localized area of pro-tension, and means, for actuating the severing. member and th pre.-tensioning means in timed relation with thefeeding means so that the severingmember engages the strip assembly coincident with a transverse weakened division line.

I 1-5. The herein described method of simultaneousl y bursting the individual. strips of an as.- sembly of superposed-continuous strips of record. material upon a transverse weakened division line, including the steps of" subjecting a localized area of the strip assembly containing a transverse weakened division line to tensioning influence and while said tensioning influence is being applied momentarily subjecting such tensioned area coincident with the transverse weakened division line to supplemental tension, by an actuated supplemental tensioner, applied approximately perpendicularly to the strip assembly.

16. The herein described method of simultaneously bursting the individual strips of an assembly of superposed continuous strips of record 5 material upon a transverse weakened division line, including the steps of subjecting a localized area of the strip assembly containing a transverse weakened division line to tensioning in-. fiuence and while said tensioning influence is being applied momentarily subjecting such tensioned area coincident with the transverse weakened division line to progressively increasing tension transversely of the strip assembly from the margins inwardly to an extent in excess of Q the tensile strength of said line, by an actuated supplemental tensioner.

17. A strip severing and bursting apparatus wherein the terminal portion of an assembly of verse weakened division line therein. including a -strip assembly feeding device, means for pre-ten- 7 sioning a localized area of the strip assembly containing the weakened division line, an oscillatory bursting member engageable with the preteni sioned strip assembly coincident with the weaka ened division line, spring tension power means therefor, means for tensioning said power means upon actuation of the strip pre-tensioning means,

and power operated actuating means for the apparatus effective to increase the tension in said power means and release said power means in superposed continuous strips is progressively ten- 25 sioned in excess of the tensile strength of a transtimed relation with the operation of the assembly feeding device and pre-tensioning means.

JOHN T. DAVIDSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,331,351 Seeley Oct. 12, 1943 2,380,949 Davidson Aug. '7, 1945 2,513,093 Hageman June 27, 1950 

